Atlus USA announced today that it has secured the North American publishing rights to Contact, an action-RPG for the Nintendo DS. Originally developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, Contact is currently scheduled for a Summer 2006 release.

"Contact is the rare breed of quirky RPG that attracts a rabid fanbase with its whacked-out story, setting, and characters," said Tomm Hulett, Project Lead for Atlus USA. "I'm excited that gamers will be able to spread the fever to thousands of others with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection."

Contact tells the story of the Professor, whose spaceship crash-lands on a mysterious planet. In the aftermath, the Professor finds out that the power sources for his ship, known as Cells, are scattered across the surface of the world. In order to retrieve them, he enlists the aid of a boy named Terry, as well as getting help from the player. Both the Professor and Terry will ask the player for assistance throughout the length of the game, using the DS to "contact" the gamer as the story progresses.

Contact will feature elements including animal training, collecting special items, hunting monsters, and "old-school mini-games." The dual screens will be put to use with mission maps, and interior/exterior viewpoints, and other as-yet unnamed features. Combat will unfold in real time through the use of special abilities and "Decal Attacks."

Contact will be released in Japan on March 30, and carries a projected price tag of 5040 yen. No official price announcements for the North American version of Contact have been made public, but stay tuned to RPGamer as more details are announced.